No. of letterheads in collection: 1
Condition of the letterheads: Good, once lightly folded down middle, but no damage
Variations in paper types: Ivory color
Date range of correspondence: 1937
Confidential subjects: No
Authors of correspondence: Thos. l. HolcombeIn one complete collection: $4,000
After complete set is sold: Not available.
Terms & Conditions

No. of letterheads in collection: 1
Condition of the letterheads: Excellent
Variations in paper types: Ivory colored
Date range of correspondence: 1943
Confidential subjects: No
Authors of correspondence: No signature, second page missingIn one complete collection: $500
After complete set is sold: Not available
Terms & Conditions

No. of letterheads in collection: 1
Condition of the letterheads: Almost excellent - one staple hole in blank space within logo area, but not in ink
Variations in paper types: Ivory colored
Date range of correspondence: 1950
Confidential subjects: No
Authors of correspondence: Clayton CoursonIn one complete collection: $2,000
After complete set is sold: Not Available
Terms & Conditions

No. of letterheads in collection: 1
Condition of the letterheads: Excellent (light crease, no damage)
Variations in paper types: Ivory color
Date range of correspondence: 1958
Confidential subjects: No
Authors of correspondence: James W. EstesIn one complete collection: $1,000
After complete set is sold: Not available
Terms & Conditions

This website is that of a private collector and is not an official or approved site of the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

Design Elements Found Within the Historic Logos of the University of Georgia

These 30 plus letterhead designs, used primarily by students as their personal stationery during the 30s, 40s and 50s, include a baker's dozen of design elements. The elements and the frequency of their use in this collection include:

The University Arch(including arch on each seal): 22
The University seal: 21
The bulldog mascot: 16
The words "University of Georgia": 12
A block letter "G": 9
The word "Athens": 9
The word "Georgia" without "University": 8
Variations of the seal standing alone: 6
Logotype alone without a graphic element: 2
The University Chapel: 2
A "staff of learning": 1
The word "Bulldogs": 1
The word "Sesquicentennial": 1
A shield: 1

Brief History of the Bulldog Mascot at the University of Georgia

Georgia's mascot for its first football game against Auburn, played February 22, 1892, in Atlanta, Georgia, was a goat, according to the University of Georgia Athletic Association.

Old newspaper clippings say the goat of honor wore a black coat sporting red "U.G." letters on each side. He also wore a hat with ribbons tied down his high horns. The Auburn fans shouted "Shoot the billy-goat!" throughout the game.

So how did the University of Georgia at Athens acquire its current bulldog mascot and nickname? Many old timers say that it was derived from the blue and white Yale Bulldog. The University of Georgia had strong ties with Yale in its early years. Abraham Baldwin, the first president of UGA, was a Yale man.

In 1894, two years after the appearance of the goat mascot at athletic events, a solid white female bull terrier began to appear at Georgia athletic events as the team mascot. But this dog mascot appeared only occasionally, and not officially.

On November 3, 1920 Morgan Blake of the Atlanta Journal wrote about a nickname for the University of Georgia and said, "The Georgia Bulldog would sound good because there is a certain dignity about a bulldog, as well as ferocity."

On November 6, 1920 in his account of a UGA football game, sportswriter Cliff Wheatley used the name "Bulldogs" five times and the name has been used ever since.

The current "Uga" line of bulldog mascots began with Uga I, born on December 2, 1955, in Columbus, Georgia, and originally named "Hood's Ole Dan." He was the grandson of a former Georgia mascot, with a name unknown to me, that traveled with the Bulldog football team to the Rose Bowl. This game was played on New Year's Day, 1943, in Pasadena, California. This bulldog is the grandfather of the current "Uga" mascots.

The records are incomplete, but one of the official bulldog mascots was Butch (1947-50), a brindled English bulldog owned by Mabry Smith of Warner Robins, Georgia. He was spotted by students who were attending the Georgia-Georgia Tech game in Athens in 1946, and the canine appeared to be suited for the Georgia mascot position. Butch served until his death in 1951.

Butch was succeeded by Mike, another brindled English bulldog, owned by C. L. Fain. Mike served from 1951 until his death in 1955.

The current "Uga" dynasty began with Uga I, born on December 2, 1955 in Columbus, Georgia. He was the grandson of the Georgia mascot that traveled to the 1943 Rose Bowl. Uga I was given to Cecelia Seiler by a friend, Frank Heard of Columbus, Georgia.

The current Georgia mascot was installed in 1999 when Uga V officially retired during pre-game ceremonies at the Georgia-South Carolina game. He passed on all of the duties and rights of mascotting over to his son, Uga VI.

Uga VI, at only a year old, was the biggest of all the mascots, weighing in at 55 pounds -- 11 pounds heavier than his father -- and like his forefathers is a solid white English bulldog.

In an article in recent years, the Pittsburgh Press determined that the University of Georgia is the only major college that actually buries its mascots within the confines of the stadium. These venerable dogs are buried in cement vaults near the main gate in the embankment of the South stands.

Epitaphs to these dogs are inscribed in Georgia marble, and before each home game flowers are placed on these graves. The memorial attracts hundreds of fans and visitors.

The Origin of This Collection

Few universities in the world inspire the kind of loyalty that exists among the students and alumni of the University of Georgia in Athens.

Like most land-grant universities, UGA was deliberately located in a rural setting, far from the "distractions and temptations" of the big cities. Even today students tend to become acquainted with more students, teachers and townspeople than at other institutions of higher education. Strong friendships are born that last a lifetime. History, traditions, hard studying, hard partying, and that mysterious sense of isolation, all work together to create undying Georgia loyalty.

At the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, it is still true that most medical students are UGA graduates. As physicians, there is a strong tradition of going into general practice or family practice throughout Georgia. In the MCG alumni records, one of the most common entries is: "Died while attending University of Georgia football game." This is truly how most of them would prefer to leave this world.

Before fax and email, students penned more letters home to their families, girlfriends and boyfriends, and past acquaintances than they do now. A box of stationery was an essential item for every student. And of course, to demonstrate their growing loyalty, many purchased specially designed UGA-themed stationery at the college bookstore or in town.

Over the years the symbols on student stationery changed as graphic artists and stationers did their best to attract young student buyers. That tradition persists, but pen and ink letter writing has become a lost art.

Most student letters from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s have sooner or later been discarded, and with them generations of beautiful UGA logos and designs were lost. But not necessary forever. At the Medical College of Georgia decades of student requests for information, applications, clarifications, appointments, deferrals, and other mundane requests were routinely dropped into student files. These files were stored in boxes, until administrators felt comfortable about discarding them.

In the 1980's, work study students were asked to participate in this process, carefully looking through each student file from the 1930s to the 1950s for anything of lasting importance that should be saved. Typically sealed confidential envelopes were sent to administrators for final disposition. Designs on the stationery of student inquiries were so eye-catching that the students could not bring themselves to discard them. A box was designated as a repository, but soon it too was set aside for ultimate disposal.

At that point, the documents were saved from destruction by Mr. Larry Christensen who was leaving Augusta to move to the West. Over the years the historical significance of this collection has grown, as other repositories of UGA student letters have been destroyed as part of the march of time.

Today this collection contains 32 striking UGA letterheads. In 12 cases, the only known speciman in that style is preserved in this collection. In another 8 cases, only two known specimans of a specific style exist, and both are held in this collection. As a result, there is only one full collection that includes all 32 stationery styles. This truly is a unique and rare collection of colorful University of Georgia history.

The collection was never meant to be placed on the market, but in recognition of the need to stabilize the acid-based papers on which most of these designs were printed, Mr. Christensen has decided to offer the collection for sale. At the same time, he wishes to help students today at both the University of Georgia and at the Medical College of Georgia (see Terms and Conditions).

In a race against time, this collection will be preserved by another private collector, or by one of Georgia's institutions of higher education or government. Interested parties are urged to contact the private owner in San Diego. No copies of any documents will be sold until the one complete collection has been sold, in order to preserve the collection in its entirety. When that happens, the remaining documents will be available for sale individually.

Terms & Conditions of this Offering

No part of this collection may be purchased until the one complete set of documents has been sold. When more than one document in a series is available, the purchaser will select which document is to be included. The single complete set of these historic rarities is offered at $25,000. Arrangements may be made for personal inspection of this collection prior to purchase. Delivery will be in person only.